July 4th Network Gathering

We are meeting at Bex's pad at 7:00 p.m. - near Mardi Gras World on Algiers Point. Bring snacks and drinks to share. Also bring a chair per person. The fireworks should start about 8:30 or 9:00. Call me for the address.

Clarity: Colossians 1:24-29

Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me. (Colossians 1:24-29 ESV)


Preeminent in Paul’s Ministry
How foolish it would have been for Paul to suffer for a Christ who was only an “emanation”! Why risk death to tell people that Jesus Christ is not preeminent! Paul’s first words when he saw the glorified Savior were, “Who are You, Lord?” The lordship of Christ — His preeminence over all things — was the heartbeat of Paul’s life and ministry. (Weirsbe)

I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions – Paul is not trying to say that his sufferings were a part of Jesus’ suffering on the cross. Paul was actually experiencing the same type of suffering as Jesus did through His earthly ministry. Christ’s enemies were still around and they took out their hatred for Jesus on those who building up the church. Check out 2 Corinthians 11:24-27,

Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers;  in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.

Paul next described “the mystery” — that truth about Christ and the church that had been hidden in times past but was now revealed. Ephesians 3:4-6,

When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

Another time when Paul proclaimed to the Judaizers that the Gentiles were equal to Jews in the heart of God.

Actually, Paul speaks of a three-fold mystery:

(1) the mystery of the church, Col_1:24-26; 

(2) of the indwelling Christ, Col_1:27, (This may be my favorite verse in the Bible)

(3) of the Person of Christ, the fullness of God, Col_2:2-3. (Wait for July 11th!)

Paul had a balanced ministry: he preached, taught, and warned; he sought to take the truth to all people, not just a few; and his goal was to present each believer mature (perfect) in Christ.

Christian perfection is not sinlessness, but maturity — growing up unto Christ in all things. The whole theme of Colossians is “Christ is all you need.” We are made full in Him, and that is all that is needed! How tragic when Christians substitute man-made rules, disciplines, and rituals for the fullness we have in Christ!
Paul did not run his ministry by his own power: God worked in him, and then he worked for God.
Remember this great passage from our “Impressions” series?

I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. (Philippians 1:12-13)

We will close with a couple of verses where Paul was teaching a similar lesson to the Ephesians.

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)

“I’m Glad That’s Cleared Up!”:  It’s Jesus’ energy and it’s Jesus’ powerful works. He never uses the wrong tool for the job.  He works in you , through you, and as you, but it’s never about you. It’s the hope of glory!

Outline heavily influenced by Warren Weirsbe's Expository Outlines.

The Caner Can Can

Ergun Caner has a very compelling testimony. While not in my inner circle, Ergun and I have spoken many times, shared a meal or two at revivals, and ministered to teens together. I don't want to belabor the issue of the attacks on this influential man of God. The only reason I am adding this comment is so readers know I am aware of the controversy surrounding Caner at present. There is a troubling quote from yesterday's SBC Today article, "Liberty University’s Board of Trustees has concluded that Dr. Caner has made factual statements that are self-contradictory." I wonder what that would sound like if the talked the way we talk? They said he was "self-contradictory" with dates, places, and people's names. I don't know about all that. I featured his testimony two weeks ago for one reason. Ergun is a Muslim who stepped up in front of the body of Christ, looked them in the eye, and said "Jesus is Lord". No one is disputing that factual statement. Preach on my friend!

"Jesus is Lord" proclaims preeminence. Our series has focused on the preeminence of Christ; in the Gospel Message, in the Cross, in Creation, in the Church, and this week in Paul's ministry. Come and join a branch for deep discussion of God's Word.

Clarity: Colossians 1:18-23

And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister. (Colossians 1:18-23 ESV)

Preeminent in the Church: We are going to take a trip that begins with Jesus and ends with Jesus.

• the body – created through reconciliation. “that He might create in Himself one new man in place of the two.”
  
  In Ephesians 2:8-19, Paul was explaining the very same concept of reconciled Jew and Gentile to the Ephesians.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called "the uncircumcision" by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,"

• the church – the living organism that is the church was birthed at Pentecost where tousands received the Holy Spirit.
  The first time the word “church” ἐκκλησία (ek-klay-see'-ah) is used is in Matthew 16:18 -
  "And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." (Matthew 16:18 ESV)
  The first use of the word by an apostle was James -
  "Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord." (James 5:14)
  And then Luke -
  "Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved." (Acts 2:47 KJV) Most modern translations translate as “their number” (NASB, ESV, NIV).
  Paul, who’s calling it was to proclaim the reconciliation to the Gentiles, draws an earthly comparison to head of household when describing the qualifications of a pastor.
  "He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church?" (1 Tim 3:4-5)

• You! - “he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him” – it all comes back to Jesus!
  Paul reminds us that Jesus has completely changed our lives and reconciled us to God. The false teachers have always been around.
  
  “Every person is a God in embryo. Its only desire is to be born.” – Deepak Chopra
  
  “I have come to the conclusion that whether or not a person is a religious believer does not matter much. Far more important is that they be a good human being." - His Holiness the Dalai Lama
  
  “There is only one security, and when you've lost that security, you've lost everything you've got. And that is the security of confidence in yourself; to be, to create, to make any position you want to make for yourself. And when you lose that confidence, you've lost the only security you can have. ... Self-confidence is self-determinism. One's belief in one's ability to determine his own course. As long as one has that, he's got the universe in his pocket. And when he hasn't got that, not all the pearls in China nor all the grain and corn in Iowa can give him security, because that's the only security there is.”
  – L. Ron Hubbard, Founder of Scientology
  
  "The lower a person feels, the closer he comes to his true state and to the Creator." - (Talmud, Sota)
  I don’t know what ‘Talmud, Sota’ is . . . and I can’t find out because of the next quote.
  "It is forbidden to study Kabbalah for any purpose other than spiritual elevation". - (Talmud, Sanhedrin)
  
  The false teachers will always spin fantastic tales of personal enlightenment through angels and inner energies. Jesus Christ is the firstborn of creation (Col. 1:15) and the firstborn of the dead (Col. 1:18). He was, and is , and always will be, the Head of the church.

“I’m Glad That’s Cleared Up!”: Jesus’ death and resurrection changed everything. Without reconciliation there is no church. He was, and is , and always will be, the Head of the church.

Clarity: Colossians 1:13-17

He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:13-17 ESV)

Lesson Focus: Preeminence (part 2)

• Preeminent in the Cross:

He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,
Paul meets the Jewish legalism of Gnosticism head on by using old covenant language in direct connection with Gentiles.
The Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, “Lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward, for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspring forever. (Gen. 13:14-15)

we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins
It is the Cross that separates following Christ from any and all other forms of supernatural identity. There are religious leaders buried all over this planet. None of them died for your sin. No angel or “mystical energy” has ever provided for forgiveness of sins.


Dr. Ergun Caner's testimony. "Jesus is Lord!"

Islam: “Every soul will taste of death. And ye will be paid on the Day of Resurrection only that which ye have fairly earned. Whoso is removed from the Fire and is also made to enter Paradise, he indeed is triumphant,” (Surah 3, al-i-Imran, the Family of Imran: 185)

Hinduism:  “The self is to be meditated upon for in it all these become one. This self is the foot-trace of all this, for by it one knows all this, just as one can find again by footprints (what was lost)” (Brihadaranyaka Up. 1,4,7).
(Hare Krishna, Transcendental Meditation, Buddhism, Scientology, Wicca, and New Age are either derived from or have strong philosophical ties to Hinduism.)

The next philosophical leap has already been leapt.
“The ultimate truth of who you are is not I am this or I am that, but I Am.” (Ekhart Tolle in A New Earth page 57)

There are really only two forms of religion. Those where you must “DO” something, as in the jailer in Acts 16, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”  And true Christianity (sad we have add true to make this accurate) in which Jesus has completed all the “must ‘DO’ somethings” on our behalf and the Triune God is the only “I Am”.

1.    I AM the bread of life.
2.    I AM the light of the world.
3.    I AM the door.
4.    I AM the good shepherd.

John 10:11-14: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me....”

5.    I AM the resurrection and the life.
6.    I AM the way, the truth and the life.
7.    I AM the true vine.

• Preeminent in Creation

The Gnostic teachers claimed that God made the worlds through a series of “emanations” from Himself and that Christ was one of these emanations. Paul asserts that Christ is not an emanation from God, but God Himself!

He is the image of the invisible God
“Image” means “the exact reproduction.” Christ is not one of God’s creatures, but the highest (firstborn) of all creation. The word Paul used for image was εἰκών (eikōn) it is the word from which we get our English word “icon”. The modern definition is still applicable: a sign (as a word or graphic symbol) whose form suggests its meaning  b : a graphic symbol on a computer display screen that usually suggests the type of object represented or the purpose of an available function.

the firstborn of all creation
The term “firstborn” does not refer to time (as though Christ were the first thing God created) but to position. This is a verse that is commonly misinterpreted into heresy.While not directly attributable to this verse. some of the ways this misinterpretation plays out are:

1. Mormons believe Jesus is the spirit child of God the Father and his wife the Heavenly Mother.

2. Jehovah’s Witnesses believe Jesus is the first thing Jehovah created.

3. Muslims believe in the virgin birth of Jesus, but do not believe He is the Son of God. Human attributes like fatherhood cannot be attributed to God. Jesus is one of the best of 124,000 profits.

For by him all things were created
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life,  and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:1-5)

All the talk of angels, past and present is summed up in verses 16 and 17. Many have rebelled against Him, both men and angels, always justifying themselves by maintaining they are the products of some cosmic evolutionary process instead of creation by the eternal, transcendent God. Remember a  good heresy never dies!

“I’m Glad That’s Cleared Up!”: Jesus Christ is God’s Son. Therefore, in addition to being a prophet, a rabbi, and a “great man among men”, He is preeminent in all things. He is not one of many. He is God.

Clarity: Colossians 1:1-12

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father.
Thanksgiving and Prayer
We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.
And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. (Colossians 1:1-12 ESV)

Lesson Focus: Preeminence of Jesus Christ

This message series is called Clarity because of the consistent theme of clarification that drives the book of Colossians. Ultimate clarity is a tricky thing as it is so often defined in relative terms. Many of you have heard the story of the diamond buyer. Let’s call him Mark. When purchasing diamonds Mark did not choose the best from a handful of stones, he would compare each gem with a diamond of perfect cut, color, and Clarity. Selecting the best from a group that is imperfect at best is set aside for things like sports and politics. (Did I say that out loud?)

For Paul, in regard to the Gospel, anything less than an F in Clarity is unacceptable.  There are 33,820 Christian denominations worldwide (and growing). Is it good enough to accept the best clarity of the bunch? Join the Origins family for a pursuit of flawless Clarity in our understanding of the how the Father has qualified us as “saints in light”.

With the passage of time and the tendency of man to fulfill our selfish needs, there is as much heresy ( an opinion, doctrine, or practice contrary to the truth or to generally accepted beliefs or standards) today as any time in human history. A great professor of mine says, "a good heresy never goes away."

What are some of the prevalent heresies of our time?

For the Colossians it was Gnosticism. The Gnostics were “in the know” — that is, they professed to have a superior knowledge of spiritual things. Their doctrine was a strange blending of some Christian truth, Jewish legalism, Greek philosophy, and Eastern mysticism. For one thing, these heretics taught that all matter was evil, including the body; and therefore God could not come in contact with matter. How, then, was the world created? By a series of “emanations” from God, they claimed. And, since Christ had a human body, He was only one of these “emanations” and not truly the Son of God. The Gnostics proposed a complex series of “emanations” (including angels) between man and God and thus denied the preeminence of Christ. (Weirsbe)

Preeminent in the Gospel Message (1:1-12)

• Many people today, like the false teachers at Colosse, will give Jesus Christ a place of eminence, but they will not give Him His rightful place of preeminence.

How they were saved.

• The false teachers taught about angels, “emanations” from God, legalistic rules, and bodily disciplines, but their message had no power to transform lives.

 The evidences of their salvation.

• Epaphras gave them “the word of the truth of the Gospel” (1:5) in contrast to the lies of the false teachers.

Paul’s prayer for their growth (1:9-12).

• The heretics taught a mystical “fullness” that their followers would gain; but here Paul states that every believer in Christ can be filled. We have been “made full in Him”.

“I’m Glad That’s Cleared Up!” Jesus Christ is God’s Son. Therefore, in addition to being a prophet, a rabbi, and a “great man among men”, He is preeminent in all things. He is not one of many. He is God.

How can we help reveal the preeminence of Jesus in our daily walk?

(As is often the case information is sourced from Warren Weirsbe's Outlines)